One of the well-known problems with clothes washing machines is that as water is discharged it carries with it lint from the clothes it has washed. This discharged lint can cause problems with drains, pipes, pumps, and septic tanks in a drainage system. If this lint can be trapped by filtering before discharge of water, some of the problems can be eliminated.
The ideal point for this filtering to occur is on discharge from the washing machine outlet hose or other discharge line. Effective filtering can occur at the terminal end of the washing machine discharge hose, as water empties into the sink or basin.
A number of devices have been developed and used for this purpose over the years, including some for which United States patents have been granted and others which are simple home-made attempts too provide suitable filters.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,944 shows a trap designed to filter lint. However, the devices of such patent would require continual maintenance to be effective. This trap would not fit all conventional washing machine discharge hoses and, for the average person, could be a problem to install and maintain.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,818 discloses a device designed for internal use within the washing machine. Such device cannot be used unless the machine is manufactured with the device already installed.
Other devices have been used as well. One common expedient is to secure some sort of cloth filter over the terminal end of the discharge conduit. For example, women's nylon hosiery is frequently used for this purpose. However, such devices have significant drawbacks and potential problems in many cases. Clogging can occur, thus impeding discharge of water. At the extreme, such clogging can cause damage to the washing machine because of the inability under such conditions to evacuate itself.
Although these and other prior devices have some merit in dealing with the lint problem, they have not provided a fully satisfactory solution. One problem is that many washing machine filter devices of the prior art have little capacity for trapping lint. That is, they become full of, and clogged with, lint in a short period, thus requiring frequent attention. And, when ignored too long, blockage problems could cause damage to the washing machines or their surroundings.
An improved washing machine lint trap which has high capacity for extended use and avoids the aforementioned clogging problems is needed. The device should be easy to install and the extent of lint accumulation on it should be easily ascertainable.